The apartment was as of now, officially full. Furniture and clothes were unpacked and the tv and internet were available. Stuart had cashed in some checks from Gorillaz work and now he was here alone with his room mate. Out the window he could see some parts of campus. Noodle came in and gave Stuart a beer and smiled. "I heard there were some frats nearby. Maybe tonight if there's a party we can sneak in?" she asked smirking. 2D popped open the lid. "Maybe, I still ache from the heavy lifting with the furniture yeah?" he said. He let the liquid soothe his aches. Albeit not well.
2D went to itch his head only to feel pain spreading from his elbow to his finger tips and tingling all the way into his nails. He almost dropped his beer as he yelped and grabbed his own wrist with a free hand as if it would help at all. He felt a need to curl up and cover it, but it wasn't going to help the pain by tucking it. Noodle reached out to his hand and just rubbed it slowly. Despite the heavy breathing from Stuart, Noodle knew he had only pulled a muscle badly from the day's worth of heavy lifting. "I told you I would have taken care of the bed and couch for you, but you never listen," Noodle said. Using a free hand touching Stuart's nose. Meeting eye contact she knew he wasn't having it. "I wanted ta do ih fer yer sake, admit it. Yew an I both been through shit. And ya take care of me here. So yew oughta let me take care of yew sometimes yeah?" he asked as his hand set down his beer and he used it to rub her shoulder. Noodle looked up at him astonished. Who was this guy? She caught herself staring at him. Noodle realised she was rubbing the wounded palm and awakwardly she pressed a kiss into it before returning 2D's limb to him. "Just rub it and stretch every now and then. Where are your pills by the way?" Noodle asked. 2D walked to the cupboard in the kitchen. Not answering the question. Forcing her to let him take care of herself. Admittedly, Noodle knew this would be frustrating. However its what 2D wanted and she couldn't debate that. Despite his dependence on others, he was still a grown man who can adjust to taking care of him himself. Noodle just didn't ever see him like that before. They would hardly ever speak between albums and when the band was split. So of course she couldn't possibly know what all she could be used for when it came to this independent 2D.
She mentally kicked herself.
I couldnt know this new and independent Stuart. Hes not 2D anymore. Hes just Stuart.
Noodle sighed and rubbed her forehead tiredly. "I need a nap," she admitted. Before turning to the bedroom. But thats when she forgot, they were going to be sharing the bed still since it was cheaper. Once again Noodle kicked herself. It was the oldest routine. She didn't want to fall for him, at least not yet. But to share a bed would proove difficult to do platonically. Especially for maybe the next few years.
Noodle trudged herself upstairs anyway. Not thinking about the potential occurance of her sleeping with Stuart. She just drifted from the moment she laid down and didn't let her thoughts plague her in her sleep. I won't fall for him. He deserves independence, the fact that I live here with him is bad enough. He should be happy on his own. Me being here is...
"I admit it, you were right," Noodle admitted as she stared out at the backyard. "Here I was thinking a house would mean lawn work, but...this garden is something else." she confessed as she tied her hair up. Stuart was neatly dressed. His hair long and in a short pony tail, he looked like he was pushing fifty with a short scruffy beard and button up shirt. He had glasses and tattoos on his arms. That's mine. she thought as she smiled back.
The pond was turned on into a fountain. Some pet koi dancing in the water ad they watched from the back porch swing. Noodle used her heels to rock it. She was bare foot, toes painted by Stuart and her dress was yellow and long. Her hair was tamed for once. The flower crown Stu put on her head attracting butterflies to swirl around her like sea gulls on a dock. One landing on her hand. 2D's calloused finger reached out letting the small new friend crawl to him and smell him. A childish wonder filling him as it saw him. And he saw his friend back before he flew off. A laugh coming from him softly as the wings brushed his hand like a heartfelt but breif bus goodbye. Noodle in turn pecked his cheek to draw his attention back.
A fair trade between Noodle and the little green butterfly, a kiss good bye for a kiss hello.
With a turn of his head he whispered to her ear gently. "Ya missed the spot yew was aiming at, luv." He said it so calm as if he had used that same line a million times before. Noodle smiled and leaned to his lips as he held her cheeks with either hand. Ensuring he would have control; something she wanted him to have. Something he didn't often have, something she almost always had too little or too much of. Control was a gift from her to him, and all he had to do was take it. And when she lead him to water he would drink, and for this she was at peace.
Waking up was something she didnt want control over either, but here she was waking up next to Stu. But he was too far and too deep asleep to touch her. Or notice how badly she needed to be touched.